Annealing-furnace.



, H. L THOMPSON PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

ANNEALING FURNAGB. PPLIUATION FILED JAN. 22. 1908.

2 SHEBT-SHEET 1.

No. 890,252. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908. H. L. THOMPSON. ANNEALING PURNAGE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 22. 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

e955@ mk@ M cluded from the me HUGH L. THOMPSON, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT. i

- ANNEALING-FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Tune 9, 1908.

Application lcd January 22, 1908. Serial No. 412,049.l

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH L. THOMPSON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and 5 -State of Connecticut, have invented a new.

and useful Annealing-Furnace, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to annealing furnaces in which the oxidizing atmosphere is exl during treatment and until the same has b n cooled.

My object is to provide improved means for delivering the metal to the furnace retort without admitting the oxidizing atmosphere thereto.

My invention com rises an'annealing retort and a mechanica air lock through which the material is carried into the retort.

My improved `means is especially adapted for the treatment of metal in the form of sheets, but may obviously be used for metal in other forms by the proper shaping of the valves or gates.

This invention especially comprises the combination of coperating valves or gates made in whole or in part of iiexible or yield'- ing material, having their free ends or extensions directedinto the retort or other chamber and so operating that the efficiency of closure of said gates shall be in' direct proportion tothe above atmospheric pressure of the said chamber.`

My improved annealing furnace is especially adapted for .continuous operation 35 and includes a preliminary chamber through which the metal must pass before reaching the retort chamber. This preliminary chamber is mechanically. sealed from the outside atmosphere' and is also mechanically sealed ,4Q from the retort and means are provided for exhausting the oxidizing atmospherefrom this preliminary chamber throughout the opv eration of the device.

My invention also comprises .a similar .chamber at the discharge end sof the retort which isalso provided with means'for exf hausting the oxidizing atmosphere therefrom.

I also provide means at or near the discharge end of the retort for the cooling of the metal as it Ipasses' therethrough so that as the metal ivered to the outside atmosphere it has is de been so reduced in temperature as not to be oxidized thereby.

Referring to the drawings z-Figurev l is a longitudinal vertical section of an annealing furnace showing my improved mechanism. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3, 3 of Fig. 2.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Fig.l 1, 1 represents the retort of the usual form through which the metal 2 is carried from reel 3 to reel 4. Before the metal 2'reaches the retort 1 however it is.

passed through the preliminary charging chamber 5 which is maintained automatically closed against the outside atmosphere by the iiexible gates 6 and 7. These gates are composed of asbestos, felt or other flexible material and are preferably stiifened by the framework which are secured to hinges 1() and 11 operativelyconnected with the stationary structure.- Primarily the flexible gate 6 is maintained closed against the metal by gravity, while the flexible gate 7 is maintained closed by the counterbalance 12. It is to be noted that the gates 13 and 14, and 20 and 21 yare so4 directed that ressure above atmosphere 1n the retort will increase the efliciency of closure of said gates. The preliminary charging chamber is also sealed against the retort by the flexible gates 13 and 14 supported and operating in substantially the same manner as 6 and 7. Steam is introduced through pipe 15 to force the oxidizing atmosphere out of chamber 5 through pipe 16 so that the metal traveling -A through the gates 13 and 14 carries practically no oxidizing atmosphere into the retort 1. The retort 1 is kept free of oxidizing atmosphere in the usual way by the introduction of steam through pipe 17 to expel the oxidizing atmosphere through pipe 18. At the discharge end of retort 1 is provided a supplemental chamber 19, sealed from the retort by the flexible gates 20 and 21 and 8 and 9, the construction and operation of gates v8 and 9, and-37 and 38, are substan tially the same as that described in connection with gates 13, 14, 20 and 21, the double pair of gates between retort 1 and chamber 19, being provided to resist any counterbalancing pressure either in retort 1 or chamber 19. Steam is introduced in'to chamber 19 through pipe 24 and oxidizing atmosphere ex elled through pipe 25. At the discharge entri of chamber 19 isprovided the cooling chamber 39 sealed therefrom by the flexible gates 37 and 38 having similar construction and o eration. Within the chamber 39 is l provi ed a coil or nest of cooling piv e 34 which is adapted to surround the meta 2 as the same passes through the chamber. The purpose of this cooling deviceis to reduce the temperature of the'metal so that it 4will not be subject to the oxidizing effect of the outside atmosphere when discharged from said chamber 39. Tgis chamber 39 is provided with a ventilatin Mdue 45 to carry the moisture quickly away from the mouth of the retort. Forl the purpose of introducing the iirst iece of metal through the retort and cham ers I provide in chamber 5 the platform 26 and roller 27 for supporting and guiding the metal through gates 13 and 14. The metal may then be pushed along the bottom of retort until it comes to the incline 28 when it is carried u wardly over roller 29 through gates 20 ran 21. Suitable platforms 28, and 36 and suitable rollers/such as 27, 29, 30 and 40 will serve to direct the metal throu'h the several gates of the other chambers. t will also be understood that the several gates 20 and 21 and 37 and 38 may be arbitrarily opened, to receive the end of the metal, by any suitable means such for instance as handle or keys (not shown) connected therewith and pro'ecting through the walls of the furnace. hen the metal is once threaded through the device one sheet is made to ull another through after it, that is, a supp emental reel such as 31 is usually` provided and as reel 3 hasjbecome nearly empty the end of metal 2 is secured by any of the well known devices provided for this purpose to the metal on reel 31. When reel 4 is full the metal on the reel is separated from the metal coming through the retort by any suitable well known device and the su ,plemental reel such as 32 is connected wit the metal coming from the retort 'metalmay be attached to this dummy at one iendjwhile the other end of the dummy is secured to the rotating reel to draw metal through as above described. It will thus be evident that by shifting from an empty reel'to a full reel at the charging end of the furnace and from a full reel to an empty reel at the discharging end of the furnace from Suitable means are provided for' same purpose with res ect to gates 22 andv 23; the position of reeV 4 being such as to always maintain the metal 2 either at thesame elevation or slightly above the elevation of the lowest point of roller 44.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the retort showing an elevation of gates 20 and 21 in the operative position, Ipart of these gates being broken away to s tion.

As above stated, the gates are composedx of a flexible material such as asbestos or felt suitably treated to resist the heat. These gates are pressed iirmly together so that they will lie close to the metal 2 as the same passes between them. Fig. 3 shows these gates closed together at either side of the metal 2 so as to form a substantially air tight seal around the metal.

The special object of facing the gates 13 and 14 toward gates 20 and 21, that is, towards the interior of the retort 1, isto secure an eHiciency of closure of said gates in direct proportion to the above atmospheric pressure in'said retort.

While I have shown the chambers 5 and 19 combined with retort 1, it is obvious that,

either chamber may be used without the other by employing some other form of seal such as the ordinary water seal at one end of the retort.

What I claim is 1. In an annealing furnace, the combina'- tion of a retort, an air lock connected therewith, and means for closing the retort chamber and air lock chamber from the outside atmosphere and also from each other, comprising a plurality of gates formed of yieldmg material, adapted to ermit the passage of the metal to` be annea ed without undue leak of gas, said gates bein so directed with respect to a chamber as to ave an efficiency of closure relative` to the above-atmospheric pressure therein.

2. In an annealing'furnace, vthe combination of a retort and an air lock connected therewith, means for closing the ends of the retort and of the air lock, com rising gates of flexible or yielding materia adapted to permit the passage of the metal without permitting the leak of gas, said gates being so ow the interior construc-V directed that the pressure in a chamber will contribute to the efficiency of closure of its gates.V

3. In an annealing furnace, the combinaclose, and arranged to be affected as to e'litionof a retort, an air lock connected thereciency of closure by the pressure in said with, and Ineens for closing each end of the chamber.

retort and each end of the air lock, compris- HUGH L. THOMPSON. 5 ing coperating gates of flexible materiel Witnesses:

having their free ends directed inwardly WILLIS M. HALL,

toward the chambers they are adapted to CAROLINE S. CHURCH. 

